Overdoses coming from unexpected new corner

Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman is for many people the poster boy for overdose deaths. Hoffman injected himself with a mixture including the illegal drugs heroin and cocaine.

Most overdose deaths, however, are caused by the misuse of legal drugs. Deaths from prescription drugs in the U.S. now outnumber those from heroin and cocaine combined. In 29 states, the toll exceeds that from traffic accidents.

In Henderson County, with a population of slightly more than 100,000, there are seven to 10 emergency calls for overdoses a week and three to four deaths a month, most of them involving prescription drugs.

Anna Huneycutt, of Hendersonville, was one of the victims, dying of an overdose four years ago this month. Addie Huggins, also of Hendersonville, seems to have found her way back from addiction through religious faith.

Julie Harwell Huneycutt, Anna's mother, created the Anna's Hope Facebook page to help families fighting the sort of addiction that overcame her daughter. She said she gets messages nearly every night seeking advice.

"I feel like I'm sort of like this doctor on call almost," said Huneycutt. "Sometimes it gets overwhelming, but I can't stop because if I can help one family not experience what I've been through, then this journey will have been worth it to me."

The way back from addiction can be long and expensive. "I've known families that have basically spent their entire life savings trying to get a loved one, a child or spouse unaddicted through various levels of rehab," said Henderson County Sheriff Charles McDonald. "And it doesn't always work."

Huggins has been to rehab four times. She stole from her mother, her father and her grandmother. She lost her driver's license after being cited for driving under the influence of prescription drugs.

"I think the way she found her way back is through God," said her mother, Cathy Ware. "And in my personal opinion, that is the only way back from addiction, through your personal faith and belief in God and his help."

It will not be easy to stem this rising tide, but the effort must be made on several fronts. Clearly, addicts need the support of others, be it through an exchange of computer messages, in-person counseling or residential programs.

In Henderson County, a range of help is provided by Hope Rx. Huneycutt began this month as the agency's director, and Higgins and Ware are in residence there. Also, the sheriff's office is partnering with other agencies, including Park Ridge and Pardee hospitals, on an education campaign.

The sheriff's office operates a pill-drop program under which residents can dispose of medicines that have not and will not be used by them. During the past year, some 1,200 pounds of medicines have been collected.

In Buncombe County, several entities "have applied to participate in Project Lazarus, a statewide initiative to decrease the incidence of inappropriate prescription drug use and related deaths," according to county Health Director Gibbie Harris.

One reason the misuse of prescription drugs is so prevalent is because those drugs are so easily available. The United States has 5 percent of the world's population but consumes 75-80 percent of the world's prescription drugs. Often, the road to addiction leads through the family medicine chest.

Rxsafetymatters.org has a number of tips for parents, including secure storage and monitoring of prescriptions. Perhaps most importantly, the organization urges parents to communicate with their children.

The struggle against addiction will require the participation of every addict's family, because almost every addict needs help in recovering. As Ware put it, "It's not something you can choose to walk away from once you're addicted."

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Overdoses coming from unexpected new corner

Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman is for many people the poster boy for overdose deaths. Hoffman injected himself with a mixture including the illegal drugs heroin and cocaine.